Growing up in San Antonio, Texas, UNM Athletic Director Rudy Davalos always had aspirations of greatness.
"I always wanted to be good at what I did," Davalos said, his Texan accent still very much present. "I've been involved in athletics for about 46 years."
Davalos' athletic career started in San Antonio where he excelled in baseball and basketball in high school. After high school, Davalos played sports at Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos. It was there that the beginnings of his administrative career started, earning his bachelor's in education with a minor in business.
After getting his master's in administration, Davalos pursued coaching on the collegiate and high school level. He served as assistant coach for numerous schools including the University of Alabama, Auburn University and the University of Kentucky.
Finally, Davalos gave up coaching and took the job as the athletic director of the University of Texas, San Antonio.
"I became the first athletic director at San Antonio," he said. "We started the program when they had nothing, I started from scratch. It was one of the most exciting times of my life. It's probably where I gained most of my marketing experience."
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
Davalos said that he was involved in every aspect of building the San Antonio program including getting uniforms for his players.
Next, Davalos moved on to the University of Houston where he served as athletic director from 1987-93.
UNM officials recruited Davalos for the athletic director position and he took over in January of 1993. He said the main attraction of coming to New Mexico was the opportunity to be the biggest game in town. In Houston, Davalos was competing with bigger schools and a slew of pro teams.
"I always wanted to be at a university where they were the number one sports entity in that market," Davalos said. "The Lobos were just that."
Davalos said that it took him a couple of years to get accustomed to the area but that the great fan support made it an easier transition.
Davalos said his greatest accomplishment at UNM has been establishing a sound academic program for the student athletes who have an all-time high combined 3.0 GPA this year. He is also proud of the improvements in a once-depleting football program that has been to two bowl games in the past five years, something that was unheard of before his arrival.
"I want to be in a position where our football team is competing for a bowl game every year," he added.
The 2002-03 UNM athletic year has been one of the strongest ever. The men's soccer team had unprecedented success advancing to the second round of the NCAAs for the first time. The football team was invited to the Las Vegas Bowl and the women's basketball squad made it to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA tournament, also a first. More recently, the men's and women's golf teams won their conference tournaments and the baseball team is fighting for top spot in the league.
Still, there are critics and they have been heard after a bad season by the men's basketball team. Over the years, Davalos has learned to "roll with the punches," trying not to take the critics too personally.
"I let things get to me, I'm a pretty sensitive person and I don't like criticism," he said. "I know I can't make everybody happy but I'm not afraid to stand up for my coaches and my program. I'm not going to sit still."
Evidence proves that Davalos must be doing something right as he was recently named to the Sports Illustrated 101 Most Influential Minorities In Sports. His parents were born in Mexico and moved to San Antonio before he was born. Davalos credits his parents for his success.
"I wish my father was living now to see it," Davalos said. "My mother is 91 years old and going strong. They made it possible for me to be a minority and be proud of who I am."
